Artificial hand-grip.



BJEFFERY,

ARTIFICIAL HAND GRIP. APP LICATIQN FILED lAN.3h I918.

Patented Apr. 1918.

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ARTIFICIAL HAND-GRIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23, 1218.

Application filed .1 anuary 31, 1918. Serial No. 214,681.

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Hand-Gri s, of which the following is the specificatlon.

My invention relates to improvements in artificial hand grips and the object of the invention is to devisea simple device, which will take the place of a hand and which will have a strong grip on any tool desired to be held by the operator and such as may be readily applied to any ordinary type of artificial arm and operated by mechanism commonly employed and it consists of the following arrangement and construction of parts as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure 1, represents a perspective view of my device showing its application.

Fig. 2, i an enlarged perspective detail of my hand gripshowing its connection to an artificial arm.

Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectionthrough Fig. 2. 1

Fig. 4, is a plan view partially in "section of the parts shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5, is a perspective detail showing the means for connecting thehand grip to an artificial-arm. r

Fig. 6, is a perspective detall'of the end of I an artificial arm showing the means with which the parts shown in Fig. 5 engage for ecurin the grip to the arm.

Fig. Fig. 3.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the varlous figures. Y Y 1 indicates an artificial arm of any ordinary type, which is provided with side pulleys 2 and 3 over Whlch the loop strap 4-extending to the artificial hand extends, the opposite or rear end ofthe loop being connected by flexible means to an elastic strap loop 5 extending around the shoulder at the opposite side ofthe wearer to the artificial arm. The outer end of the arm 1 is rovided with a socket. recess 6 in which is secured a plate 7 having a central opening 8 provided with diametrically disposed ectoral enlargements 9 and 10 'formin recesses. 11

indicates a tongue cut out 0 metal at one side of the recess 9 and'bentfto extend in? 1s.a sectional view on lme zv-y wardly so as to form a stop projecting beyond the inner face of the plate 7. 12 indicates the main portion of the hand grip, which comprises a bar member 12*, having a lug 13 extending from the rear face thereof and disposed longitudinally of the bar and arc-shaped recesses 14 and 15 at each side of such lug 13 extending into the body of the bar 12*. On one side of the forward portion of the bar 12 extend lateral arms 16 and 17 terminating in forward finger-like extensions 18 and 19 terminating in inwardly curved portions 18 and 19*, the opposing edges of which are provided with end recess portions 18 and 19.

It will, therefore, be een that the finger members 18 and 19 are stationary in relation to the main portion of the hand grip formed by the bar 12*. The opposite side of the bar 12 is provided with lugs 20 and 21 at the upper end and 22 and 23 t the lower end between which are hinged movable finger members 24 and 25 by hinged pins 26 and 27. They finger members 24 and 25 correspond in form to the finger members 18 and 19,- the recessed ends 24' and 25 being oppositely disposed to the recesse 18' and 19' so as to fit therein when the movable finger members 24 and 25 are in close position and engaging the stationary finger members 18 and 19.

26 and 27 indicate recesses extending longitudinally into the ends of the bar member 12 26 and 27 X indicate internally threaded orificesextending through the bar member 12" in proximity to the base of each recess 26 and 27. 28 and 29 indicate spiral springs inserted in the recesses 26 and 27 the lower ends of the coils of such springs 'being formed into a loop extending vertically and through which screws 30 and 31 extend, such screws being screwed into the orifices 26* and 27" thereby ecurely holding the inner ends of the springs 28 and 29 within the recesses 26 and 27. The opposite or outer ends of the springs26 and 27 extend forwardly in an inclined direction at 28 and 29*,the extreme ends being bent inwardly at 28' and 29 so as to engage the outer face of each movable finger 24 and 25, the extreme ends of such inwardly turned portions 28' and 29 being preferably turned over at 28 and 29 so as to engage the inner edge of each finger 24 and 25.

32 indicates a bridging piece, which extends between the movable fingers 24 and 25 intermediately of their length, such bridging piece being preferably bent outwardly in an angular direction and provided centrally with an eye 33 through wh1ch the leather loop strap 4 hereinbefore descnbed extends.

In order to give wrist movement to the hand I have rovided a hinge member comprising the aw portion 34 provided w th circular ends 35, which extend to each side of the lug 13 hereinbefore described and fit into the recesses 14 and 15 so as to be turnable therein, such portions 35 being connected to the lug 13 by a. hinge pin 36.

- 37 indicates a threaded stem extendmg from the jaw member 34. 38 indicates a washer, which fits upon the stem 37 and bears against the end of the-jaw member 34. The washer 38 is of such a diameter as to fit into the recessed end 6 of the arm 1.

39 indicates a metal washer, which surrounds-the stem 37 and 40 indicates a rubber washer, which surrounds the metal washer 39 and fits gainst the metal washer 38 and is of such a size that the internal diameter thereof corresponds to the diameter of the hole 8 of the plate 7 secured in the arm 1. 41 indicates a nut, which i threaded on to the end of the stem 37 and is provided with diametrically disposed lugs 42 and 43 which, when the parts are being connected together, pass through the recesses 9 and 10.

44 indicates a screw provided with an enlarged head 45, such screw head being spaced apart from the end of the stem 37 when the parts are in the normal position,.such screw head merely forming a stop for preventing the nut 41 from entirely disengaging the stem. 37. 46 indicates a set screw, which extends through the jaw member 34 and engages the lug 13. By this means the member 12 ma be swung on the hinge pin 35 to any desire position and locked in such position by means of the set screw 46.

When it is desired to connect the hand grip to the arm 1 the securin members of the hand grip are in the position shown in Fig. 5. When in this position the nut 41 is passed through the orifice 8, the lugs 42 and 43 passing through the recesses 9 and 10. The member 12* is then turned circumferentially until the lug 42 engages the in turned stop 11. The member 12 is still rotated thereby screwing the nut 41 inwardly on the stem 37 thereby drawing the washer 40 into engagement with the plate 7 and thereby securely gripping the plate between the nut 41 and washer 40. By this means the hand grip is securely connected to the arm 1.

When it is desired to grip a tool or other object all that it is necessary to do is to draw upon the loop 5 bv means of the shoulder passing therethrough which through the loop 4 passing through the eye 33 will draw the movable finger members 24 and 25 outwardly from the stationary finger members 18 and 19 against the rcssure of the springs 28 and 29 into the dotted position shown in Fig. 2. The hand grip may be then placed in such a position that the finger members 18 and 19 extend to one side of the object and the finger member 24 and 25 to the other side. The tension on the loop 5 is then relaxed allowing the finger members 24 and 25 to move toward the ends of the finger members 18 and 19 and thereby engage the tool or other object desired to he gripped.

If desired the inner faces of the finger members 18 and 19 and 24 and 25 may be knurled so as to have a further frictional grip upon the object thereby further preventing any liahility of longitudinal movement of the object between the tationary finger members 18 and 19 and movable finger members 24 and 25.

As before stated the hand grip may be adjusted to any desired angle and secured at such angle by means of the set screw 46 so as to correspond to the wrist movement of the natural hand.

From this description it will be seen that I have devised a very simple device which Will readily grip any desired object and which will have a firm, strong secure grip of the natural hand and which may be readily secured to almost any of the ordinary types of artificial arms now in use.

What I claim as my invention is.

1. The combination with an artificial arm and loop members extending from the artificial arm around the back to the opposite shoulder of the wearer, of a hand grip comprising a body member having a detachable connection to the artificial arm, a stationary gripping device, and a movable gripping device spring held against the stationary device and operated by the aforesaid loop members extending to the shoulder of the wearer, and a stop on one of the gripping devices for limiting movement. of the other gripping device in one direction.

2. The combination with an artificial arm and loop members extending from the artificial arm around the back to the opposite shoulder of the wearer, of a hand grip comprising a body member, a stationary gripping device, a movable gri ping device spring held against the statlonary device and operated by the aforesaid loop members extending to the shoulder of the wearer, a. hinged device connected centrally to the body member, means for connecting such hinged device to the arm, and means for securing the hinged device in any angular 'position to which the hand grip may be adjusted.

3. The combination with an artificial arm and loop members extending from the ficial arm around the back to the opposite shoulder of the wearer, of a hand grip comprising a body member, a stationary gripping device, a movable gripping device spring held against the stationary device and operated by the aforesaid loop members extending to the shoulder of the wearer, a hinged device connected centrally to the body member, means for connecting such hinged device to the arm, and a set screw extending through the stationary portion of the hinge and bearing against the movable portion.

4. In a hand grip device, the combination with an artificial arm having a recessed end having a plate secured within such end having a central orifice and diametrically opposite recesses, of a hand grip provided with a threaded stem, a washer carried by the stem, a nut screwed on to the stem and having lugs extending through the recesses of the arm plate, and a stop carried by such plate with Which the lugs engage.

5. A hand grip comprising a bar member suitably connected centrally to an artificial arm and having recesses at each end thereof, stationary finger members extending from each end of the bar at one side thereof, movable finger members extending from the opposite side of the bar and opposing stationary finger members, spiral springs secured within the aforesaid recesses and having portions engaging the outer face of the movable finger members intermediately of their length, and means operated by the move ment of the shoulder of the wearer for drawing the movable finger members outwardly away from the statlonary finger members.

6. A hand grip comprising a bar member suitably connected centrally to an artificial arm and having recesses at each end thereof, stationary finger members extending from each end of the bar at one side thereof movable finger members extending from the opposite side of the bar and opposing stationary finger members, spiral springs secured Within the aforesaid recesses and having portions engaging the outer face of the movable finger members intermediately of their length, a bridge member connecting the movable finger members together, an eye extendingfrom the bridge member, and a loop member extending through such eye and passing rearwardly to engage the shoulder of the wearer.

7. A hand grip comprising a bar member adapted to be secured to an artificial arm, stationary finger members extending from one side of the bar member, movable finger members extending from the other H side of the bar member and opposing the stationary. finger members, spring means for holding the opposing finger members together, and means operated by the movement of the arm for drawing the opposing finger members apart against the spring pressure.

8. An artificial hand grip comprising two opposing gripping members, means for holding the gripping members normally in intersecting posltion, and means for temporarily drawing such gripping members apart to grip an article. 7

BURTON JEFFJERY.

Witnesses M. EGAN, P. PALMER. 

